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Pre-med > Behavioral Sciences MCAT Review > Flashcards

Behavioral Sciences MCAT Review Flashcards

1
Q

What is Phrenology?

A

The theory that behavior and intellect directly correlates to brain anatomy and thus can be measured

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2
Q

What is functionalism?

A

The theory that the mind uses mental processes to adapt to its environment

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3
Q

What is the role of afferent neurons?

A

To transmit sensory information to the brain

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4
Q

What is the role of efferent neurons?

A

To transmit motor information to muscles and glands

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5
Q

Motor neurons (efferent or afferent)

A

Efferent

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6
Q

Sensory neurons (efferent or afferent)

A

Afferent

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7
Q

Interneurons

A

Neurons found between other neurons

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8
Q

What is the role of interneurons?

A

To participate in reflexive behavior

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9
Q

What does a reflex arc do?

A

It reacts to sensory information and sends motor impulses before original information gets to the CNS

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10
Q

What are the two divisions of the nervous system?

A

Central and peripheral

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11
Q

What are the two structures of the central nervous system?

A

The brain and the spinal cord

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12
Q

What are the two divisions of the peripheral nervous system?

A

The somatic and autonomic nervous systems

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13
Q

What are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system?

A

The parasympathetic and sympathetic systems

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14
Q

Which nervous system includes 31 pairs of spinal nerves and 12 pairs of cranial nerves?

A

The peripheral nervous system

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15
Q

What does the somatic nervous system control?

A

It involves sensory and motor neurons in the joints/skin/muscles

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16
Q

What does the autonomic nervous system control?

A

It manages involuntary muscles associated with internal organs and glands

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17
Q

Which nervous system controls homeostasis?

A

The autonomic nervous system

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18
Q

What neurotransmitter is primarily used in the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Acetylcholine

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19
Q

Rest and digest

A

Parasympathetic

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20
Q

Fight or flight

A

Sympathetic

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21
Q

What are three roles of the meninges?

A

To resorb CSF, to protect the brain and to anchor the brain in the skull

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22
Q

Pia mater

A

The lowest layer of meninges

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23
Q

Arachnoid mater

A

The middle layer of meninges

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24
Q

Dura mater

A

The top layer of meninges

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25
Q

How can you remember the order of the meninges from the brain?

A

Remember that the meninges P.A.D. (from) the brain

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26
Q

Which sections of the brain evolved together?

A

The hindbrain and the midbrain

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27
Q

What structure do the hindbrain and midbrain combine to form?

A

The brain stem

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28
Q

What is the brain stem responsible for?

A

Basic survival functions

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29
Q

What are 5 structures within the forebrain?

A

The cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system, thalamus, hypothalamus

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30
Q

What structures are within the midbrain?

A

The inferior and superior colliculi

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31
Q

What 3 structures are within the hindbrain?

A

The cerebellum, medulla oblongata, and reticular formation

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32
Q

Rhombencephalon

A

Hindbrain

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33
Q

Myelencephalon

A

Medulla oblongata

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34
Q

What does the medulla oblongata do?

A

Regulates breathing, heart rate, blood pressure

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35
Q

Metencephalon

A

Pons and cerebellum

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36
Q

What does the pons do?

A

It contains sensory and motor pathways between the cortex and the medulla oblongata

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37
Q

What does the cerebellum do?

A

It controls posture, balance and coordination

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38
Q

Mesencephalon

A

Midbrain

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39
Q

What stimulus does the inferior colliculus receive?

A

Auditory stimulus

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40
Q

What stimulus does the superior colliculus receive?

A

Visual stimulus

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41
Q

Prosencephalon

A

Forebrain

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42
Q

Telencephalon

A

Cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system

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43
Q

Diencephalon

A

Thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland, pineal gland

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44
Q

What is neuropsychology?

A

The study of functions/behaviors associated with regions of the brain

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45
Q

How is neuropsychology studied?

A

It is studied in individuals with brain lesions or through the purposeful extirpation of animals

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46
Q

EEG

A

Electroencephalogram

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47
Q

How does an EEG work?

A

It uses electrodes on the scalp to measure electrical activity

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48
Q

rCBF

A

Regional cerebral blood flow

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49
Q

How does an rCBF work?

A

It detects brain activity by tracking blood flow through areas of the brain

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50
Q

CT

A

Computed tomography

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51
Q

How does CT work?

A

It uses xrays to take multiple cross sectional views of the brain

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52
Q

PET

A

Positron emission tomography

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53
Q

How does PET work?

A

It uses radioactively labelled sugar to map tissues

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54
Q

MRI

A

Magnetic resonance imaging

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55
Q

How does MRI work?

A

It uses magnets to map H+ dense areas of the brain

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56
Q

How does fMRI work?

A

It tracks blood flow

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57
Q

What is the purpose of the thalamus?

A

It relays sensory information for all senses aside from smell

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58
Q

What is the purpose of the hypothalamus?

A

It has endocrine, autonomic and arousal functions

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59
Q

What are the 3 regions of the hypothalamus?

A

Lateral (LH), Ventromedial (VMH), and Anterior (AH)

60
Q

What is the function of the LH?

A

It acts as the hunger/thirst center to trigger behaviors

61
Q

What is the function of the VMH?

A

It acts as the satiety center to trigger inhibitive behaviors

62
Q

What is the function of the AH?

A

It regulates sexual behavior, sleep and temperature

63
Q

What is the function of the posterior pituitary gland?

A

It releases ADH and oxytocin

64
Q

What is another name for ADH?

A

Vasopressin

65
Q

What is the function of the pineal gland?

A

It regulates the sleep wake cycle by receiving ocular stimulus and producing melatonin

66
Q

What is the function of the basal ganglia?

A

It coordinates movement by relaying information to the brain and spinal cord

67
Q

What 3 diseases have been linked to dysfunction in the basal ganglia?

A

Parkinson disease, schizophrenia, and OCD

68
Q

What is the function of the limbic system?

A

It is associated with emotion and memory

69
Q

What are three structures within the limbic system?

A

Septal nuclei, amygdala, and hippocampus

70
Q

What is the function of the septal nuclei?

A

They are the pleasure centers of the brain

71
Q

What is the function of the amygdala?

A

It controls defensive and aggressive behaviors

72
Q

What is the function of the hippocampus?

A

It is responsible for long term memory and learning

73
Q

What is the fornix?

A

It is the long appendage which connects the hippocampus with other regions of the limbic system

74
Q

Anterograde amnesia

A

Inability to form new long term memories

75
Q

Retrograde amnesia

A

Inability to retrieve previously formed long term memories

76
Q

What structure does the neocortex refer to?

A

The cerebral cortex

77
Q

What three significant regions are housed within the frontal lobe?

A

The prefrontal cortex, the motor cortex, and Brocca’s area

78
Q

What is the role of the prefrontal cortex?

A

It is responsible for executive functioning relating to various other brain regions including planning and inhibition

79
Q

What is an association area?

A

A region of the brain that integrates diverse imput

80
Q

What is a projection area?

A

A region of the brain that performs more simple perceptual or motor tasks

81
Q

Where is the motor cortex located?

A

On the precentral gyrus

82
Q

What lobe of the brain contains the motor cortex?

A

The frontal lobe

83
Q

What is the function of the motor cortex?

A

It initiates voluntary motor movements

84
Q

What is the function of Brocca’s area?

A

It is vital for speech production

85
Q

What is the sensorimotor cortex?

A

The area of the brain near the central gyrus which contains the motor cortex and the somatosensory cortex

86
Q

Where is the somatosensory cortex located?

A

On the postcentral gyrus

87
Q

What lobe of the brain contains the somatosensory cortex?

A

The parietal lobe

88
Q

What is the role of the somatosensory cortex?

A

It receives sensory signals related to touch, pressure and pain

89
Q

What is another name for the visual cortex?

A

Striate cortex

90
Q

What is another name for the Striate cortex

A

The visual cortex

91
Q

What lobe of the brain contains the visual cortex?

A

The occipital lobe

92
Q

What functions are housed within the temporal lobes?

A

Auditory processing, memory, emotion and language

93
Q

What lobe of the brain contains Wernicke’s area?

A

The temporal lobe

94
Q

What is the function of Wernicke’s area?

A

It is integral for language reception and comprehension

95
Q

What does the dominant hemisphere of the brain control?

A

It controls functions, details, language and logic

96
Q

What does the non dominant hemisphere of the brain control?

A

Intuition, creativity, music, spatial processing

97
Q

Which hemisphere is most people’s dominant hemisphere?

A

The left hemisphere

98
Q

What is the role of acetylcholine in the peripheral nervous system?

A

It acts in nerve impulses to stimulate muscles, primarily in the parasympathetic nervous system

99
Q

What is the role of acetylcholine in the central nervous system?

A

It increases attention or arousal

100
Q

What disease is a result of loss of cholinergic neurons in the hippocampus?

A

Alzheimer’s

101
Q

What does it mean when a neuron is cholinergic?

A

It uses acetylcholine as a NT

102
Q

What is the cause of Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Loss of cholinergic neurons in the hippocampus leading to progressive memory loss

103
Q

What are 4 neurotransmitters that are considered biogenic amines?

A

Epinepherine, norepinepherine, dopamine and seratonin

104
Q

What are the catecholamines?

A

Norepinepherine, epinepherine, and dopamine

105
Q

What is the role of norepinepherine in the nervous system?

A

It usually acts locally as a neurotransmitter

106
Q

What is the role of epinepherine in the nervous system?

A

It usually acts systemically as a hormone

107
Q

What is the role of dopamine in the nervous system?

A

It regulates movement and posture

108
Q

What are two diseases thought to be caused by dopamine imbalance?

A

Parkinson disease and schizophrenia

109
Q

What role does seratonin play in the nervous system?

A

It regulates mood, eating and sleep

110
Q

How does GABA function in the nervous system?

A

It has inhibitory functions and stabilizes neural activity

111
Q

How does Glycine function in the nervous system?

A

It has inhibitory functions due to increased chloride release

112
Q

What neurotransmitters cause hyper polarization of the postsynaptic membrane?

A

Glycine and GABA

113
Q

What is the function of Glutamate

A

It is excitatory

114
Q

What are neuropeptides?

A

Peptides which act as a neurotransmitter

115
Q

What is the difference between neuropeptides and other neurotransmitters?

A

They take longer to take effect, but their impact lasts longer

116
Q

What is an example of a neuropeptide?

A

Endorphins

117
Q

What are enkephalins?

A

They are substances similar to endorphins, but block pain in the spinal cord

118
Q

What gland is known as the master gland?

A

The pituitary gland

119
Q

Why is the pituitary gland known as the master gland?

A

Because it releases hormones which impact other glands

120
Q

What is the hypophyseal portal system?

A

The system of vasculature which connects the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland

121
Q

What does the adrenal cortex produce?

A

Corticosteroids and sex hormones

122
Q

What is one example of a corticosteroid?

A

Cortisol

123
Q

What does the adrenal medulla produce?

A

Epinepherine/norepinepherine

124
Q

What part of the nervous system is the adrenal medulla most likely to effect?

A

The sympathetic nervous system

125
Q

What is the adaptive value of a trait?

A

The extent to which it benefits the species by increasing fitness

126
Q

How are family studies performed?

A

They are used to compare the rate of certain traits within families against the rate amongst unrelated individuals

127
Q

What is the limitation of family studies?

A

They cannot distinguish between impact of shared environment versus shared genes

128
Q

How are twin studies performed?

A

They are used to compare the rate of traits amongst monozygotic twins against dizygotic twins

129
Q

Concordance rate

A

The likelihood that twins share a trait

130
Q

How are adoption studies performed?

A

They are used to compare the rate of traits of a person within an adoptive family versus the rates of the traits within their biologic family

131
Q

What type of neurons are formed from the alar plate?

A

Sensory neurons

132
Q

What type of neurons are formed from the basal plate?

A

Motor neurons

133
Q

What tissues come from the neural crest?

A

The neural tube, dorsal root ganglia, melanocytes, and the calcitonin producing cells of the thyroid

134
Q

At what gestational age does neurulation begin?

A

3-4 weeks

135
Q

What occurs during neurulation?

A

The ectoderm overlying the notochord furrows and forms the neural groove, and the two neural folds eventually meet in the middle to close the neural tube

136
Q

What are 3 things that can have significant impact on fetal development?

A

Viral infections, pharmaceutical drugs and recreational drugs

137
Q

Primitive reflexes

A

Reflexes found in babies that should disappear with age

138
Q

What is the Babinski reflex?

A

The fanning of toes when sole of foot is stimulated

139
Q

What is the rooting reflex?

A

The turning of the head towards stimulus of the cheek

140
Q

What is the Moro reflex?

A

The grasping/clutching reflex that occurs with the sensation of falling

141
Q

What are two patterns that motor skills tend to follow in development?

A

Head to toes, and midline to extremities

142
Q

What is the pattern that social skills tend to follow in development?

A

Parent focused to self focused to other focused

143
Q

What age is stranger anxiety/separation anxiety common?

A

6 months-1 year

144
Q

What age does parallel play begin?

A

2 years

145
Q

When do children gain idea of gender identity?

A

3 years

146
Q

When does conformity become important?

A

5 years

147
Q
A

Pre-med (3 decks)

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